Apparatus for tobacco curing



Mar. 20, 1923.

HL JOHNSON APPARATUS FOR TOBACCO CURING Filed. Apr. lo,

5 sheets-sheet l Mar. 20, 923. 1,449,324

H. JOHNSON APPARATUS FOR TOBACCO CURING Filed Apr. lo, 1920 5 sheets-sheet 2 in :f- T

NVENTOR ATTORNEY Mar. 20, 1923.

H. JOHNSON APPARATUS FOR TOBACCO CURING Filed Apr. lO, 1920 .'5 sheets-sheet 5 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 20, 192,3.

UNITED STATES i l HENRY JOHNSON, OF ALTAVISTA, VIRGINIA.

APPARATUS FOR TOBACCO n GURING.

Application filed April 10, 1920. Serial No. 372,920.

T all whom-t may concern.'

Be it known that LHENRY JOHNSON, a subject of the King of England, residing'at Altavista, in the county of Campbell and State of Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Tobacco Curing, of which the following is a specication.

My Vpresent invention has to do with the curing of tobacco, and it contemplates the provision of a process of and apparatus for expeditiously drying and coloring tobacco in such manner that sponging and scalding of the tobacco is averted and the coloring may be nicely and exactly regulated by posiA tive variation of the temperature to'which it is subjected, and then rapidly and thoroughly ordering the tobacco-i. e., rendering it pliable by the action of moisture to perfectly it it to be handled and stored.

To the attainment of the foregoing, the invention consists in the improvement as hereinafter described and definitely claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, hereby made a part hereof:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a barn equipped with my novel apparatus.

Figures 2 and 3 are horizontal sections showing flue arrangements. 4

Fiiiie 4e is a horizontal section showing one mode of distributing either hot air or steam to various points in the interior of the barn. 4

Figure 5 is a perspective of a unitary portable furnace, embodying my invention.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal vertical section of the furnace.

Figure 7 is a transverse vertical section of the same.

Similar numerals designate corresponding parts inFigures 1 and 2 to which reference will first be had.

In the carrying out'of my invention' I varrange the `furnace 1 in the barn 2 in such manner that the face or outer end of the fur'- nace is flush with the wall of the barn, this being advantageous inasmuch as it renders it convenient for an operator to .supply 'the furnace with fueland to regulate the tem- 501 perature in the barn from a point exterior of the same. The peculiar construction of the furnace will be hereinafter explicitly set forth, and it will suflice here to state that the furnace is provided at 3, Figure 2, with an outlet for smoke and heated products of combustion. The said outlet 3 is in the form of a Hue, and as shown in Figure 2 the said liue is arranged in the barn, preferably at a slight distance above the floor thereof, and is provided with a T-head 4, which in turn is merged into forwardly extending pipes 5,

that extend to a point adjacent to the front end of the barn where they communicate through a pipe 6, with an uptake .7, that is arranged exteriorly of the barn'as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

At this point I. desire it understood that I do notv desire to be understood as confining myself to the flue arrangement just described or to any other specific flue arrangement. For instance, the iues 4a may be arranged as shown in Figure 3, the outlet 3 being connected with pipes 5a which in turn are merged into respective uptakes 7 a, arrangedv exteriorly of the barn.

By comparison of Figures 5, 6, and `7 with Figure 4 the construction and utility of my novel furnace will be understood when it is stated that the furnace comprises a fire box 8, an ash pit `9, doors 10 complementary to the fire box and arranged exteriorly of the barn, Figure 1, doors 11 complementaryto the ash pit and also arranged exteriorly of the barn, a grate `12 which may be adapted for the burning of either wood or coal as conditions make necessary, an inner wall 13, and an outer wall 14, separated by an intervening air space 1K1a from the inner wall. It being remembered that the major `portion of the furnace is arranged within thebarn 2, it will be appreciated thatthe employment of the two walls 13 and 14 separated by .the air Space 14a serve the highly important purpose of practically averting fire in the event lof any of the tobacco inthe barn falling upon the furnace. It will also be noticed in thisconnection that the said separated walls and intervening air space practically do away with the liability of the furnace setting fire to the front wall of the barn in which the front portion of the furnace is housed as shown in Figure 1.

vIn addition to the intervening air space 14a serving the important purposes ascribed to the same the said air space 14a is adapted to conduct air from induction orifices 15 in the front wall of the furnace at points adjacent to the sides thereof to an outlet pipe lleading from the rear or inner end of the furnace, so that the air en route is heated.-

It will also be appreciated that this circulation of air through the space 14a is calculated to improve or increase the insulat-.

ing quality of the air which is depended upon to prevent the firing of any tobacco that may fall upon the furnace or the setting afire of the front wall of the barn. As shown in Figure 4, I prefer to connect distributing pipes 17 to the pipes 16 so that hot air may be conveyed to and discharged from the open ends of the pipes at various points in the interior of the barn as conditions require. Dampers or valves may be inserted at suitable points, such dampers being marked 30, 31 and 32.

As best shown in Figures 6 and 7 I provide in the air space 14a of the furnace a foraminous pipe 21. The said pipe 21 is referably, though not necessarily, disposed 1n the longitudinal center of the furnace and extends practically throughout the length ofl the air space 14". At one end the pipe 21 is connected through a pipe 22 with a water tank 23, the latter, being disposed exteriorly of the barn as illustrated.

In practic-ing my process and operating to advantage my novel apparatus, tobacco is placed in the barn in the ordinary or any other desired manner, and a ire is started in the re box 8 and is maintained for a sufficient period to dry out the tobacco and to incidentally bring the tobacco to a bright color. This step ordinarily requires about twenty four hours, and during the same the operator is enabled by, manipulation of the door 11 to vary the temperature and in that way nicely regulate the coloring of the tobacco.

As is well known to those versed in the care of tobacco it is necessary after drying and coloring to order the tobaccoi.'e., render it pliable and eliminate its fragile orbrittle characteristic. Therefore after the drying and coloring step alluded to is completed, I let water into the pipe 21. The said water will be discharged from the said pipe 21 upon the crown sheet or wall of the fire box 8 and will be immediately reduced to steam, and this steam will be discharged through the outlet 16 and by the distributing pipes in communication with said outlet 16 will be conducted to various points in the interior of the barn so as toeifect the ordering of the tobacco expeditiously and thoroughly.

While I do not desireto be understood as confining myself to a unita portable, furnace such as illustrated, prefer toemploy such furnace because of the facility furnaceincluding a rebox and an outer casing extending around the firebox from and to points below the same and defining with the firebox a hollow space for heating air, a pipe in said hollow space for dischargin water upon the firebox and means connected with the hollow space for distributing the steam thereby generated, throughout the chamber. Q

2. Apparatus for treating tobacco comprising a treater chamber, a furnace, the furnace including a irebox and an outer casing extending around the firebox from and to points below the same and defining with the firebox a hollow space for heating air, an air inlet to the hollow space, a pipe in said hollow space for discharging water upon the irebox and means connected with the hollow space for distributing the steam thereby generated, throughout. the chamber.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 including a heat-transmitting conduit connected with the 'fire box and extending centrally of the chamber to near the rear wall thereof, branching to both sides toward the side walls, then extending forwardly to near the front wall of the chamber, then again toward the center and uniting in a single conduit passing through the front wall of the chamber.

4. Apparatus for treating tobacco comprising a barn, a furnace arranged in the barn and having one of its ends disposed in a wall of thebarn and exposed to the exterior thereof; the said furnace having a fire box and an ash pit separated by a grate and also having means complementary to the ash pit for the regulation of heat and inner and outer walls and an intervening air space -about the fire box, outlets complementary to vthe fire box and the air space, respectively, 

